


Cruel to be Kind (fic)

by ARTofOTK



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Corporal Punishment, Discipline, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Mention of Child Abuse, Murder, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:34:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21858379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARTofOTK/pseuds/ARTofOTK
Summary: It's almost Christmas and Reid goes against procedures during an investigation... The case had been unusual, and so will be the punishment. (I meant to depict a non-sexual mentoring relationship between Hotch and Reid, but view it however you like! ♥)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 43





	Cruel to be Kind (fic)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first half of a fic that I'm contributing to a "Spankvent" project I joined with other creative spankos. Based on a prompt. I originally intended for a short and silly Christmas story... but I wound up with angst plus a detailed crime plot. Definitely riddled with plot holes, lol, but I hope the attempt is enjoyed! And I'll do my very best to finish this before Christmas! XD

*** You may want to keep [THIS](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/f1/69/58/f169587cb9e42395935cbcdd8d8bbf39--elf-costume-christmas.jpg) image in mind as you read, hehe... SFW! ***

The icy atmosphere inside the plane had nothing to do with the wintery conditions outside, Reid mused.The team was dead silent, no one willing to test the tension between him and Hotch. They sat facing one another at the table area, and the older man had his arms crossed while glowering at his youngest agent. Hotch had been still as a statue during the flight, not saying anything. He was likely reserving his words for when there was more privacy, which could be considered considerate... but it was absolutely nerve-wracking to wait like this.

Reid had given up trying to make any sort of eye contact with his boss and instead look down at his own lap, where he fidgeted with the row of bells that hung from the hem of his bright green shorts - but (however illogical it was) he could still feel the force of Hotch's dark stare. It was horribly discomfiting, mentally and physically, a state that was not helped by the fact that Reid was stuck in an _elf_ costume. 

It was a garish combination of itchy red and green material, complete with striped tights and pointed shoes. The hat and fake ears had been tossed into an airport trash can, but - quite embarrassingly - he hadn't been given the chance to change into his own clothes after what had happened. After he went against procedure...

After _you saved a life!_ Reid reminded himself, allowing annoyance to seep into his thoughts. He couldn't understand why Hotch was so remarkably upset with him! The local law enforcement of the town they just departed had been pleased at the outcome of the investigation. The police chief had personally praised Reid! Now, though, he was being treated like some trouble-making kid, sent to the Principal's office to await a stern lecture.

The silence in the plane was broken when the intercom crackled on and the pilot announced that they were about to land. Despite being only a 45 minute flight, it had felt like an eternity. Many shoulders slumped in relief but Reid visibly hunched his when Hotch opened the hard line of his mouth to command, "Reid, _stay..._ "

Reid gulped and nodded, then shut his eyes as the wheels of the jet hit the runway. The jostling sensation of landing no longer sparked his anxiety, hadn't for a long time now, but he took the opportunity to close off his surroundings and mentally prepare himself to explain - to _defend_ his choices from earlier that morning.

As five out of seven members of the team began making their way off the plane, Reid kept his eyes closed just to avoid seeing everyone's expressions as they passed him to reach the exit. He was sure some would be pitying, perhaps from J.J. and Garcia, but he knew Hotch wasn't the only one who was furious with him. Prentiss and Rossi definitely sided with Hotch. And Morgan - well, he hadn't teased Reid at all about the costume, which meant he had to be _pissed!_

Reid sighed when he thought he'd been left alone with Hotch, but then startled a bit when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder, squeezing once. He blinked his eyes open to see Morgan, who grinned down at him and joked, "You oughtta have that skinny ass whooped, pretty _elf_ boy," then he turned to Hotch, saying, "Don't kill him, Sir. We're all going out for drinks tonight. BAU tradition, yeah?"

"Morgan..." Hotch grumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose. Morgan winked at Reid before swiftly stepping out to join the others on the tarmac as they went to collect their luggage. They would probably all head home as soon as possible to get a good rest, then get ready for tonight.

 _Now_ they were alone. Reid urged himself to glance at Hotch and the little bit of comfort provided by Morgan's seemingly forgiving attitude crumbled away. He shivered, not sure if it could be blamed on the cold wafting in from the open exit. He knew Hotch wouldn't kill him, but his scowl was _scary..._ Realistically, Reid expected some sort of restriction as punishment, like being suspended or assigned solely to desk work. Either would suck, but he wouldn't complain as long as he had his freedom tonight.

He was typically a homebody, as anyone would testify, but it was a special day - December 23rd, the eve before Christmas Eve. The team had made it a night to celebrate with each other before going off to do the same with their own families... but visiting his ill mom for the holiday never felt like a celebration to Reid. There was sadness, not joy. He was lucky if she even understood why the sanitarium had put decorations up. So, a festive night at a bar with the BAU felt more like Christmas to Reid. There was laughter and warmth and just a sense of _liveliness_ when he was with his team. Especially at this time of year, when it seemed they all gave themselves permission to not think about work, to prioritize other aspects of their lives... and Reid enjoyed seeing everyone unwind, seeing them so happy and carefree. 

Of course he did. They were his friends - his _family!_ He hesitated to think anyone thought the same of him, but he knew he was cared about by the team. He wouldn't want to miss the 23rd with them for _anything_ in the world - least of all a serial killer! That may have been why he had overworked himself on the investigation, barely sleeping, just wanting to find the unsub as soon as possible... but he couldn't admit that, could he?

Hotch was far from happy and carefree. He put his hands on the table, pushed himself up to stand and then leaned over as if about to interrogate a prime suspect - _bad cop_ style. "I said I'd fire you if you pulled something like this again." Hotch was alluding to the situation with Owen Savage and Reid was quick to divert that association.

"This was _different,_ Hotch! No one had their guns trained on us, no one was even _there_ to watch while someone was about to possibly kill themselves. She - she wasn't threatening to take any more lives from where we were..."

"Except _yours!_ You did it again, Reid. You knowingly jeopardized your own life. What if she had attacked you?"

Reid huffed, "But she _didn't!_ I was able to determine that she wouldn't hurt me if I resembled an elf to her. She saw me as someone she could trust, a - a helper. _Santa's_ helper!"

* (#Y#) * (#Y#) * (#Y#) *

It had been an unusual case, to say the least. The BAU was called in after three men were murdered over the previous week in a single community. One man had been on a sidewalk, collecting donations for charity. Another had been putting up lights on a tree in his family's front yard. The third victim had been working at a mall... All three were killed while dressed up as Santa Claus.

The BAU was able to narrow down their unsub to Anita Ross, a 58 year old woman who had recently moved from New York. She was a childless widow and perhaps hoped to start a new life after her husband was killed a year ago. The late Nicolas Ross had been retired but often volunteered for charities. He'd begun dressing up as Santa to collect donations from pedestrians (much like Anita's first victim), but then he didn't come home one night. His bloody body was found in an alley the next morning. Someone had stabbed him to death, then stole the donations _and_ his costume. The killer still hadn't been found.

It had been easy to confirm that Anita was the killer due to the mall's outdoor security cameras. She hadn't bothered to hide her face and that indicated she may have been unaware of her wrong-doing. This was further evident after Reid spoke with the young man who had worked alongside the "Mall Santa" as one of his elves. The poor guy had witnessed the murder. He said Anita had come up to them while they were having a smoke break, and she had whispered in his ear to ask, "Is that the real Santa Claus?" After answering truthfully, in the negative, she had replied with, "Thank you, dear, and don't you worry... Mrs. Claus will handle this imposter!" before repeatedly stabbing the fake-bearded man in the neck with a large knitting needle. She definitely had the element of surprise on her side.

Reid had updated the team's profile to describe Anita as a killer who had experienced a psychotic break prior to her spree, triggering the delusion that she was the wife of the _real_ Santa Claus and that so-called imposters deserved to be killed. Being that her husband was deceased, _anyone_ dressed as Santa was a potential target! Police found Anita's home to be empty and then all shopping centers, costume shops, and charitable groups in the town were contacted in a wide-spread effort to ensure no one would be dressing as Santa. Not until Anita was found. Local late-night news released warning reports as the search carried on...

At 3 AM, Hotch had ordered everyone to have a few hours of rest at their hotel before helping police with the search again, but Reid only managed to sleep for three hours before deciding to visit the lobby where there was a decent coffee machine.

While gulping down a third cup, a man had sprinted out of the elevator, yelling, "Shit, shit! I'm gonna be late!" Reid didn't pay too much attention, just silently wishing the guy luck, but then the sound of bells got him to take a closer look at the stranger's half-zipped duffel bag. A _stocking_ poked out, with red and green stripes... Reid chased the man down ("Stop! FBI!") and found out he was an out-of-towner who had been hired to visit an elementary school in the area. It was a gig he shared with a friend to make some extra cash during the holiday. 

Reid had known the answer before even asking,"Is your friend playing Santa?"

"Yeah, and the fat bastard ditched me! Probably wanted to flirt with the teachers before checking out the roof..."

"The roof?"

"Uh, yeah, principal thinks it'll be a riot for the kids if we yell _ho-ho-ho_ from up there. She said me and Vince would match well with the decor they got set up already. I think there's some kind of fancy sleigh display - with fucking life-sized reindeer, yeah? She warned us not to actually sit on anything, though."

This led to Reid hopping into a car with the man and changing into the elf costume on the way. He had decided there was no time to waste in waking the team... but he did send them a group text before reaching the school and sprinting inside, where he memorized the layout of the school from a map of fire escape routes. Then he reached the roof as quickly as possible, ignoring confused shouts from some of the school staff. It had still been too early for there to be students.

A figure had stood just outside the door to the roof and Reid itched to reach for his gun (tucked into the back of the borrowed green shorts) before realizing it was an overweight man rather than a middle-aged woman. Reid was relieved to see he was dressed in a plain clothes, and consequently _alive._

"You're Vince, right? Santa?"

"Uh-huh... and you've got Billy's costume. What the hell's going on?"

After a brief but unnerving explanation, Vince had rushed back downstairs to safety. Reid, however, remained on the snow-covered roof. Vince had said he'd left his costume near the sleigh at the lower level of the building, so that's where Reid headed. And _that's_ where he found Anita, shivering as she hugged the velvety red material to her chest. 

She was sat in the flimsy looking bucket of the sleigh, which didn't look suitable to hold a little kid let alone a grown woman. It hung past the edge of the rooftop along with two rows of plastic reindeer, supported only by several screw mounts. Things had begun to bend and noticeably lift away from the concrete barrier, with the whole display set to plunge down to the playground below. Reid peered over and saw no one there. _Good._ Then he caught cruiser lights in the distance. _Not good..._ Back-up wouldn't help in this situation, might even make things worse.

"Ani... um, Mrs. Claus! It's not safe to sit there!"

The woman had looked up at Reid with a smile, as if expecting him. "Nonsense, dear, my husband's sleigh is quite safe. Could you tell him to hurry along? It's not like him to keep me waiting... I'd like to go home now."

Reid thought quickly, replying, "But Santa sent me to ask you if you've seen his clothes. He... he's lost them."

"Oh - oh my! I have them here, don't I? Silly me, of course he wouldn't want to come out here undressed. Let me bring these to him... I'd like to warm up a bit, perhaps get some hot cocoa for the ride."

Then Reid had helped her safely off the shaky decor, and then down the stairs to the hall where two policemen appeared and swiftly detained her. She had struggled and screamed at Reid for help, and he had had to look away... The scene was too reminiscent of his mom being forcibly removed from her apartment by orderlies. But Reid understood, as he had with his mother, that Anita would be getting the help she needed.

After that, Reid had provided a detailed verbal report to the police as they all grouped together in the parking lot, telling them everything that had led him to be at the school. The whole BAU had stood outside the circle of cops, their frowns a direct contrast to the smiling policemen who were decidedly pleased that the search was over without incident. Reid could see Hotch over the Police Chief's shoulder, listening intently, looking more and more like a grim reaper waiting for Reid to take his final breath...

* (#Y#) * (#Y#) * (#Y#) *

Now, on the plane, Reid still hadn't figured out what to say to Hotch. He really didn't want to talk... he just wanted to go home and get out of this stupid costume. Hotch had already heard everything that had happened - and what had happened had been the best possible outcome! No more dead Santas, and the unsub had been captured alive, thanks to him! Subconsciously, Reid went back to fidgeting with his bells and Hotch sighed before deciding to be the first one to speak. "I don't know why I have to keep telling you this, but we need to discuss and plan things as a team, Reid. As your Unit Chief, you should have let me determine what to do after finding out about another potential victim."

"I didn't think there was enough time, Hotch! And I was _right_... If I had got to that roof any later, someone could've died! Either Vince would've been murdered, or Anita would've stayed on that sleigh until it collapsed. Maybe - maybe they'd _both_ be dead!"

A vein ticked on Hotch's forehead, and then he actually slammed his fist on the table, shouting, " _Damn_ it, Reid! You were still wrong to take off on your own like that! We are FBI agents, and there are _procedures.._."

His own temper rising, Reid stood and shouted back, " _Fuck_ procedures! I saved someone's life!" His hands gestured in frustration as he continued to spout, "What do you want to hear from me, Hotch? Want me to say I was stupid, that I - that I'm _sorry?_ Well I'm neither! So you can - " He shut up when Hotch suddenly reached over and grabbed his upper arm, strong and vice-like. Reid had never seen him look so enraged.

Reid's arm was hurting and he felt spittle on his face when the older man shook him and hollered -

"I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO BE SORRY ABOUT!"

Then Hotch's free hand went to his waist and reached for his belt buckle. Reid gasped, not believing what was happening, but Hotch's hand stopped just as his fingertips touched the brushed steel. Time seemed to stop with it as both men stared at each other, Hotch with horror and Reid still in shock. Both realized the same thing, that Hotch had been tempted to physically punish Reid... with his belt.

Hotch released Reid as if the younger man had burnt him. Face paling, he muttered, "Oh, oh _God_... I'm sorry! I - I wouldn't..."

Now Hotch was the one avoiding eye-contact as he staggered away from the table. Reid chose to sit back down, feeling unsteady, but - unlike before - he wanted to talk. "Um, Sir..."

But Hotch had already got off the plane, and Reid didn't chase after him.

~ TBC ~


End file.
